In this article, the authors tried to explore the link between innovation, knowledge creation and the firm’s performance in emerging countries. This study was conducted on 529 Vietnamese firms, and the authors tried to answer to two main questions:

• Do knowledge creation practices lead to firm innovation?
• What are the relationships between knowledge creation practices, innovation and firm financial performance?

In order to measure this links, the authors used SECI model (Nonaka’s theory) for the knowledge creation process. Following this model, knowledge is classified in two groups: tacit knowledge (intuitive and unclear) and explicit knowledge (can be expressed with words, numbers). The SECI model is about the dialogue between this two kind of knowledge, and four modes of conversation are identified: socialization (tacit to tacit), externalization (tacit to explicit), combination (explicit to explicit) and internalization (explicit to tacit). The measure of innovation is axed around four main kind of innovation: Product/Process/Organizational/Marketing. Then, they measured the firm’s performance through ROA (return on asset) and average staff’s earning.

The results show a correlation between the practice of knowledge creation and product innovation, organizational innovation and marketing innovation. Also, this study show that only product innovation have a positive impact on the firm’s performance. There is not significant link between firm’s performance and marketing innovation, process innovation and organizational innovation. The practice of knowledge creation does not directly influence the firm’s performance, but when knowledge creation is used to create product innovation, it has a positive impact on the firm’s performance.

Source : Thang Nguyen, Thi Thuc Anh Phan, Mai Thi Tuyet Nguyen International Journal of Business and Management – May 2016. Knowledge Creation, Innovation and Financial Performance of Firms: Evidence from Vietnam.

As a part of the MPIE master, we went to some places where normally, knowledge creation is the core activity: coworking spaces. Coworking is a style of work that involves a shared place and an independent activity. It is also a social gathering of a group of people who shares values and who are interested in the synergy that can happen from working with other people. When we went to the first co-working space, we were surprised because we saw people, alone, with their headphones, in front of their computers. This place was really quiet, and it seems that there is no interaction between people. It was difficult for us to imagine how this kind of place can be a sharing place and how it can create emulation because it was too quiet. But later, we met the founder of another co-working space in Hanoï. His place was designed by an architect and when we arrived, we saw some people talking about their works, playing guitar and sharing a coffee. The founder explains to us that he builds a strong community, based on trust, in order to create interaction between people and to share some knowledge and experiences. In this place, we can find for sure knowledge creation, and so, innovation.

Léa Grimal

Lea GRIMAL